SSEN Distribution has announced that its £2 million investment in the local primary substation in the Craigton area of Aberdeen is nearing completion.

Designed to create a more robust, resilient and reliable electricity supply, SSEN has installed two new transformers and automated switchgear, which will also increase capacity on the local network – an essential enabler for the uptake in low carbon technologies.

Welcoming the progress of the project, Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, said: "This project by SSEN Distribution will make a big difference to the homes and businesses in Craigton, not just in terms of making the local electricity infrastructure more robust and resilient, but also on the drive to net zero, as the increase in network capacity will be supporting members of the local community who are perhaps looking to invest in EVs or heat pumps in the future."

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The project, which started last August and is on schedule for completion in late June, is part of SSEN Distribution's £10m upgrade to primary substations across the city; these are the main substations which reduce the voltage on the electricity network before it is distributed to the smaller, more localised ones which power our homes and businesses.

Jack Graham, SSEN's Project Manager, explained more about the upgrade works: "This project has been years in the planning, ensuring that all the vital work we're doing in such a built-up part of the city is carried out with the minimum amount of disruption to the local community.

"Our new transformers are an integral part of the project, and because of their size and weight, arranging their delivery and then manoeuvring them into the substation took a great deal of planning, followed by meticulous execution. Everything went to schedule on the day, and I'd like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as we carried out this intricate part of the substation upgrade."

Mark Macdonald, SSEN Distribution's Head of Region, said that works such as the project at Craigton are an integral part of the company's commitment to delivering a safe, resilient and reliable supply of electricity: "Our project to upgrade a number of Aberdeen's primary substations will make a huge difference to homes and businesses across the city, not just now, but also into the future. As well as improving reliability, the new equipment brings extra capacity to the local network, ensuring that our infrastructure is prepared for the growth in low carbon technologies on the road to net zero, as well as being ready for potential new developments as the city continues to expand."